Every year, thousands of British people make the move from the United Kingdom to the United States. More than 30,000 Britons emigrated to the U.S. in 2009, according to a March 2011 story on the Daily Telegraph website. Some move for work while others move to be with family. Making this major relocation smoothly requires careful preparation.

Arranging a Visa

In order to live in the U.S., rather than just visit, a British citizen must have a valid visa. Visas come in a variety of forms, but most British emigrants will move to the U.S. on a work visa, in which case the employer will assist with the process, or to join a close family member such as a parent or spouse. Visa applications are processed by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services at the U.S. Embassy in London. Prospective emigrants should begin visa applications well in advance because they can be time-consuming.

Finding a Home

One of the advantages of emigrating to the U.S. from the U.K. is that British citizens are eligible to travel to the U.S. under the nation's visa waiver program for up to 90 days. This means that prospective emigrants can visit their future homes and look for a suitable house or apartment. Lack of a U.S. credit history can be a problem when applying to rent or purchase a home, so setting up a U.S. bank account should be done as early as possible. Some U.K. banks such as HSBC have U.S. branches and may be able to assist customers in starting American accounts.

Moving Belongings

People moving from the U.K. to the U.S. face the challenge of moving all their belongings to another continent. Slimming down to only essential items is advisable; the cost of shipping many household objects from Britain to America will far outweigh the value of the item. Freight forwarding services can transport large boxes of goods, but these can often take a month or more to arrive. Air freight is much faster but more expensive.

Settling In

Even once the new immigrants have arrived in the U.S., the process of moving is still not complete. New arrivals will need Social Security numbers and, if possible, drivers licenses. Once these forms of identification are obtained, other official processes, such as obtaining a bank account, will be much simpler. A Social Security number can be obtained from a local Social Security office, and a drivers license from the state department of motor vehicles.

About the Author

Dr James Holloway has been writing about games, geek culture and whisky since 1995. A former editor of "Archaeological Review from Cambridge," he has also written for Fortean Times, Fantasy Flight Games and The Unspeakable Oath. A graduate of Cambridge University, Holloway runs the blog Gonzo History Gaming.